CAL JAM I 1974 ..the making of..part one

[tripleeff]

Tycobrae was the sound company for that show

[77elvistheking]

And this was just for 10 bucks.

[vanhalen515084]

sabbath and purple stole the show i would say, with sabbath getting the crowd into it with children of the grave, you can just feel the energy, and ritchie putting his guitar through a camera and blowing up his amp, with a little to much explosive, what a super show,

[brankerdon]

He was not involved with this show. He did Woodstock.

[cookieman38111]

Where is Chip Monck during this???

[TheTayedrums]

it was one hellava concert-a mixture of groups cultures it was on tv simulcast on the radio and until u tube i thought i would never get to see those tapes again...some people had them but it was a hard find for the most part-and i had gave up only to remember u tube just recently...i am glad i grew up in those times to see rock music grow...

[vdrkoel331]

I still have my t-shirt from this concert. What a treasured possession. And thanks for the memories LAW...love you lots...

[katmaidog]

I was there. The sound system was mind blowing. They played Steely Dan the whole night before while people filed in and it made me fall in love with SD, it sounded so good.

[slazzer145]

to be honest i dont like day concerts..

[Butwanna]

I was there, I was 15. It was awesome, it was like my 2nd or 3rd concert ever. I actually remember the guy telling about the med centers like it shows here. It's cool seeing them closer on these videos. They were hard to see from where I was and I wasn't too far back.

[firemblem01]

It was 36 years ago today legendary bands came together on this day to rock the many people that came it is truely a jam thats undiscribable

[brankerdon]

@firemblem01 Thank you. I had forgotten about the anniversary. Too much rock and roll and not enough memory left in my brain.

[brankerdon]

@firemblem01 Thank you. I had forgotten about the anniversary. Too much rock and roll and not enough memory left in my brain.

[firemblem01]

@brankerdon no problameo don man i would have killed to be u metting sabbath and egals and purple man some guy! your like a legend

[dnnylee]

I remember during Seals and Croft @ 1:20-1:34 during this song, people were stomping the ground with there feet, you could actually feel the ground vibrate.

[va4rebs]

Now that's a sound system! I like the old school ambulances! Let's go retro!!!

[brankerdon]

Let's go retro on everything!

[Deborahmadamblue]

Hey thanks for the email yeah I'm hanging on to the visors forsure take care

[Deborahmadamblue]

I still have 2 sunvisors in my hopechest LOL I loved the jam

[brankerdon]

Hang on to your sun visers and the memories of that day. Thanks for watching the video and going to the event.

Peace and good wishes

Don E.

[Sojic82]

Hey Don,

I'm really sad that I couldn't be at any Cal Jam.

First I live in Germany and second I was born in '82.

Those Festivals are the greatest for me.

Cal Jam I : Deep Purple, Black Sabbath

Cal Jam II: Heart

Thanks for the oportunity to see such great events 30 - 35 years later. Last thing to say : RITCHIE BLACKMORE !!!!!!!!!

[brankerdon]

Thanks for watching the videos and enjoying the Jams.Wish you had been there

Don E.

[fishingindeepwater]

The water jugs was a sight to see and I also remember the sun visers being droped by a helicopter that said "high on the hog" on them.

[CrackedLens]

I still would love to have a video of all the FULL & empty water jugs that went flying! What an epic sight it was!

[firemblem01]

wat song is that with ELP at 4:16

[B3Rock]

A few seconds of "Pictures at an Exhibition".

[firemblem01]

tyvm

[acerb45666555]

man! what a scene that was!!

[gab99]

the Blackmore explosion was a gimmick he had set up but it went almost horribly wrong. It was set up with too much gasoline and as you can see almost blew Blackers across the stage. A bit more and it could have killed someone - Spinal Tap for real! after that he smashed the place to bits and was chsed out of town by the local cops! amazing line up - EW&F and Purple on the same bill!

[shotguy1]

Ritchie goes mad!!!!!

[MetallicBill]

If anyone can get this out on DVD, WITH the EAGLES, I would praise them highly. I saw a still of the Eagles but the video was removed... What gives? I see EAgles clips, but my own was pulled due to music used only

(I shot the clip)

[mysterytrax]

Great memorable post brankerdon........I too was there. Sorry that you couldn't get a clip of the first group to hit the stage that day..

RARE EARTH. They started the whole show off with "Hey Big Brother". That bass intro got the impatient crowd goin'......unforgetable!

[brankerdon]

I'm still not very happy with Blackmore's performance. Not because of the bands set, but he pulled some shit on stage that pissed me off. I'll get into ot at a later time.

[MetallicBill]

Well, his destructive finale pales in comparison to the WHO because they made it musical, where as with DP, it's a barrage of sound

[katmaidog]

I was there. One thing this video doesn't mention is that the place started to fill up the night before, on the 5th.

By the tine the sun came up on the 6th the infield was already so full of people that you couldn't make it back to the port-a-johns.

[kirkmach32]

Yeah, 5 of us went the evening before too. So much freeway traffic we got off the freeway about 5 miles before the correct offramp and tried to get in through sidestreets, yeah right, jammed up tight. We tried sleeping near OMS in our car for 2 hours before the cops came and scared us out of there, no sleep. Then we went in when it was still kinda dark and finally got into the place, it was mobbed with about 100,000 already. I wonder how many actually came? Seemed like a million to us!

[DreamHealer87]

tell us something about the performance of Ritchie Blackmore!

[Snotra]

No alcohol was allowed in this concert. So outside the entrances near trash bins we're cases and cases of beer. People we're drinking thier fill and walking in. There was a small river of piss that was filling up outside near tunnel entrances, girls we're walking around bare foot and sloshing around in it thinking it was natural run off.

[justdigginlife]

That was my first concert. Quite an experience.

[michaelHda]

Just thoght of this: isn't Don Branker, the announcer, the same one that did Woodstock? Sure sounds like it...

[brankerdon]

No, the voice of Woodstock was a very talented person named Chip Monck. I was the voice of both Cal Jams. See the brand new video on my page...Don Imus interviews Don E. Branker. Thanks for viewing my videos.

My very best to you

Don E. Branker

[michaelHda]

I remember this was the very first scenes when ABC broadcast this.

[msteeln]

I was there!

[profound66]

tickets were sold to the show, I know i bought some, thru ticketron, but no offical word was given to why it canceled guess like you said sales were not there thanks

[profound66]

What ever happend to cal jam 3 Beach boys neil yount etc. Never happend never heard why anybody know Don? thanks

[brankerdon]

I have no idea. Alot of people talked rumors after Jam II. That show would not have drawn enough people though.

[MetallicBill]

It did happen, Though not in Cali...in 1985, LIVE AID. In 1982/3, Steve Wozniac's US Festival was the one I wanted to go to!! BAD!

[cowboysfan782008]

I could of gone but didnt. I think tickets for the US 83' were &70-$80 bucks. My buddies went.  If I remember right, it was Country on Friday, New Wave Sat, and Motley Crue, Judas Priest, Ozzie, VH, etc on Sunday. The 1982 US fest was way smaller. I remember Tom Petty played at that one. Sure doesnt seem like almost 30 yrs ago!

[MetallicBill]

I just watched my Triumph DVD that is seemingly the only official US concert video out, I have the VHS and DVD of the Van Halen set, but I don't know much about the shows as you mentioned

[cowboysfan782008]

The other groups I mentioned also played on Sunday. U2 played the Sat show with the other "New Wave" groups. I lived about 40 minutes from where the US fest took place. One of the things I remember most about HS 82'-86', was the division between New Wave/Rock. New Wave was more popular, and the rock groups that were popular were the "Hair Band" types, that I didnt care much for, like Ratt, Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot. Cheesey Crap!

[brankerdon]

On Novebmer 20th 2008 in Hollywood CA. a commemorative Award will be

given to the Promoter, Don E. Branker in recognition of The Greatest

Concert of the 20th Century.

THE CALIFORNIA JAM!

Congratulations.

Max Worthington

Publicist

[doorsfan58]

I was at both Cal Jams, remember Keith spinning around in the air with his keyboards (piano?). Great show!

[MetallicBill]

Grande Piano. I've not seen that before that I remember. Closest is likely Tommy Lee and his rotating drum set

[audiophile55]

Anyonewho was there when Emerson, Lake and Palmer performed, please respond.

 Thanks